Sri Sri Radhe Shyam Boat Festival

Sri Sri Krishna-Balarama Mandir (ISKCON), Sri
Vrindavana Dhama

Every year, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Temple, ISKCON Vrindavana celebrates famously called
“Sri Sri Radhe Shyam Boat Festival” just a few days after judicious Gaura-Purnima Festival.
This event is much-awaited by thousands of devotees around the world including the students
from Gurukuls who attend the celebrations. Usually many devotees after attending Gaura-
Purnima festival at Sridham Mayapur come to Sri Vrindavana Dhama to take part in this
celebration.

The inner courtyard of the Sri Sri Krishna Balarama temple is filled with water and a pool is
created. The pool is then covered with a variety of flowers artfully decorated in various patterns

and designs which also included decorative letters inscribing ‘HARE KRISHNA’, ‘“RADHE SHYAM'
and ‘ISKCON’. The floral decorations are wonderful, even mystics wouldn’t doubt the soft
bottom below the flowerbed. It is amazing to see the splendid decoration and jubilant
atmosphere.

At the start of the festival, the utsava Deities of Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar, Sri Lalita and Sri
Vishaka come out of the altar after the 4:30pm aratik dressed in a flower outfit to ride in Their
boat which is exquisitely decorated. The festival begins with melodious Hare Krishna
mahamantra kirtan at 5.00pm placing Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar in a beautiful boat shaped
like a decorated swan. The temple atmosphere is vibrant with enchanting kirtan and it
continued loud until 7.00pm. The temple and Deity decorations are a feast to the eye and the
floral outfits exemplify Their glory. Varieties of delicious maha-prasadams are distributed to all
devotees assembled. Maha-prasadam distribution is done directly from the boat as the Deities
ride around the courtyard and the devotees are very enthusiastically partaking in the maha-
prasadam with thrills of joy heard from all around the courtyard.

Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar, Sri Lalita and Sri Vishaka, take several rounds
around the pool with devotees singing and dancing gleefully amidst wonderful kirtans. This
continues till 7:00pm in the evening. Flowers, fruits, Delicious bhoga offering, incense and ghee
lamps are offered to the Deities while the boat is being tugged around the pool by devotees.
Excited devotees seated around the courtyard pool, watch the progression with enthusiasm.
Everyone is excited and in festive mood.

Every year the audience to this gorgeous festival is increasing. More than one million people
watch live in the TV the Boat Festival at ISKCON’s Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Temple in
Vrindavana Dhama! Many TV channels like Tata Sky, Disha Channel, Sanatan TV, MH 1
Shradhaa and ISKCON Vrindavana TV cover this event.

Significance of the Boat festival:

The boat festival marks the symbolic event occurred between Radha and Krishna before 5000
years at Raj Ghat in River Yamuna. The Gopis (cowherd girls) often carried the milk products
from Vrindavana and sold at Mathura to earn their living. Krishna was waiting for them as a
boatman. There were wonderful pastimes between Him and the Gopis as He helped them
across the violent river. The event was artfully portrayed in the 18th century work, Bhakti
Ratnakara (sloka 1700-1712) when Raghava Pandita was describing the pastimes of Lord Sri
Krishna to Srinivasa Acharya, Narottama Das Thakura and Shyamananda Prabhu during in
Vraja-parikrama.

Raghava Pandita says: See this place with beautiful spots, where Nanda Kumara (Krishna)
always wanders. Let us discuss the glorious pastimes of the expansions of Lord such as
Krishna, Balarama and Nrsimhadeva. Reaching the banks of Yamuna River, Srinivasa Acharya
says, “Sri Krishna started the boat festival from this Raj Ghat with the Srimati Radharani and
Her associates to cross the River carrying pots of milk products. See the amazingly beautiful
face of Krishna. On the riverside remained Sri Krishna on a worn out boat. Srimati Radharani

and Her associates urged to Krishna, “Please take us to the other side of River Yamuna.” Sri
Krishna rowed them down to some distance with great pleasure. Let us describe Lord Krishna’s
playful pastimes with them.”

When the old boat floated in violent waters, the Gopis said, “You are troubling we young girls.
O Madhava, You reap the seed of all troubles and You alone can make us cross this River.” Sri
Krishna said, “All food you carry will be drowned. Please throw away all you carry in water
including your unwanted clothing.” Even at this dreadful moment, Krishna was cutting jokes at
the Gopis and clapped hands showing no worries. The Gopis said, “We desperately throw water
from the sinking boat with our bare hands. Even if we escape from here, we will not surrender
to You.”

Interesting boating pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna:

The boating pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani are discussed in the Sri Sri
Padyavali of Srila Rupa Goswami (s/loka 269-285) as well. Reaching the bank of Yamuna, the
Gopis urged the boatman, “Please take us to the other side.” Krishna pretended to be on deep
nap.

Sri Sanjaya Kavisekhara says: Sri Krishna said to Srimati Radharani, “My dear young girl,
please get in My tari (boat).” Srimati Radharani took it as tarau (trees) and retorted, “What
strength have to climb on trees?” Sri Krishna replied, “My charming girl, I didn’t mean tree, but
tarani (boat).”

In Sanskrit, tarani means sun as well and therefore, Srimati Radharani replied, “Why would I
go to sun?” Sri Krishna said, “I always spoke of nau (boat).” In Sanskrit, nau means we as well
and so Srimati Radharani replied, “These are aimed at to bring Us together.”

Srila Rupa Goswami: Srimati Radharani says, “You are right. No waves in Yamuna now and this
boat is new and strong. Nevertheless, I am afraid of You, the reckless boatman, O Keshava.
This river is deep and the boat is old. We helpless girls are in dire danger. Now You are the
only boatman, who can sail us safely on to the shore of Yamuna.”

Sri Jagadananda Raya: Sri Krishna stopped the boat at the middle of the river and demanded
the fare, He smiled as He looked at the frightened face of the Gopis, who had no money to pay.

Sri Suryadasa: Srimati Radharani says, “O Krishna, as You said, I have thrown the milk
products, My necklace and all My belongings in the river, but still the shore is still afar.” Srimati
Radharani says, “The boat is heavily tossed up by the wind. The gushing water is sinking the
boat in Yamuna. Destiny is My enemy.” Srimati Radharani again says, “My hands are tired and
I cannot push the water out anymore. Nevertheless, You still joke at Me. Hey Krishna, if I
surmount this, I no more step into Your boat.”

Sri Manohara: Srimati Radharani says, “Dear Gopi friends, please pray to your divinities that
either the water of Yamuna be knee deep or get a boatman other than Krishna.”

Sri Mukunda Bhattacharya: Srimati Radharani says, “The boat rocks either ways in this deep
water in the captaincy of reckless Krishna. The sun sets and I am helpless now. O Gopi, Vraja
is far away and what can I do? Krishna pays no heed to My begging even with the throat
chocked. He disregards My obeisance. O Gopi, even in the midst of waves, Krishna shakes the
boat and water seeps in and I am frightened, but Krishna is free from fear.”

Srila Rupa Goswami: Srimati Radharani says, “Ferocious waves lash at Yamuna now. The boat
is full of water, but Krishna seems unafraid.” Sri Krishna says, “O Radha, don’t be harsh. We
will escape by Your mercy. Please offer Me a fare of promise to enjoy amorous moments with
You in Govardhana.” Srimati Radharani says, “You are a cheat, Krishna. Go and hide under a
pile of cow-dung. Why do You come and beg so uselessly. Turn away. You have tricked the
Gopis and frightened them in an old boat, but why Your tricks vanish with Me?”

Srila Rupa Goswami: “When the old boat tossed in the stormy waves of Yamuna, Sri Krishna

tricked Srimati Radharani and received amorous favors for His pastimes from the terrified
Gopis in pledge of their rescue.”

http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=iktqdppiJJ8

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http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=cnjOiTTkKOGA#t=19

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